1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate to a developing device for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, and a process cartridge dismountably mountable to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a remanufacturing method therefor.
A process cartridge is a cartridge in which a developing unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge, which is made dismountably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. A developing device is a device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member by using a developer.
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on the recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming process. Examples of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., a laser printer, a light-emitting diode (LED) printer, etc.), and a facsimile apparatus, and so on.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the process unit are integrally unitized into a process cartridge. The process cartridge is made dismountably mountable to the image forming apparatus main body.
In addition, such a process cartridge serves to form an image on a recording medium by using a toner (developer). Therefore, the toner is consumed as images are repetitively formed. When the toner has been consumed to the extent that it becomes impossible to form the image of satisfactory quality, the process cartridge loses a commercial value as the process cartridge.
Heretofore, a simple remanufacturing method for remanufacturing the process cartridge which can commercialize again the process cartridge having lost a commercial value as a result of consumption of the toner contained therein is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-125469.